The 5 kinds of characters you'll meet at Naperville's Ribfest
Naperville's Ribfest is full of characters.
There's Eddie Jay of Desperado's BBQ & Rib Co., hawking his company's signature smoked pork with bright pink "Lick My Ribs" stickers, pig-themed puns and outright bragging about the ribber's winning ways.
"C'mon in, guys. No. 1, last two years," he yells to crowds on the south side of Knoch Park as they sidle up to a daunting line of 12 vendor booths decorated with blaring bright championship banners and first-place trophies shining in the sun.
All the ribbers are characters, but Jay is the first many visitors will see - and hear.
Then there's Luke Domask of the Strawberry Patch dessert stand. His last name sounds like "don't ask," but ask him what he's doing with a pineapple and he'll explain how a hand drill rigged up with a welded pipe quickly turns the fruit into a hollowed-out cup to hold smoothies.
Ask him what he does when he's not sawing pineapples and he'll tell of his studies at the University of Missouri, where he's a junior studying journalism - hoping to break into the world of sports journalism and out of the world of fruit.
On stage as the first band of 47 scheduled performances at Ribfest, the characters are the four members of the group Something to Live By. All 2016 graduates of Neuqua Valley High School, the bandmates won the Naperville Park District's battle of the bands this year to gain the grand prize of playing first on the OneMain Financial stage in the south part of the park.
"We felt really proud because we earned this spot," said Lucas Zardini, the band's lead guitarist.
In the audience was a small cast of characters at first, as the band took the stage only a half-hour after the park opened for Ribfest's four-day run. Among the early birds were Andre Zardini, Lucas' father, and Srinath Kashyap, father of Aditya Kashyap, who plays bass and sings lead vocals.
Aditya had never been to Ribfest before, but he and the rest of his bandmates, including drummer Zach Sage, know what it's all about: "Having fun in the summer."
An archetypal Ribfest character is the die-hard fan of any of the bands playing on the Navistar Main Stage - the person who arrives at 12:01 p.m., usually with lawn chairs or blankets in tow, to sit in the sun for hours until it's time to hear that favorite act.
Debbie and Gustavo Alegre of Naperville filled that role Friday, although without the lawn chairs or blankets. Shortly after noon, Gustavo collected the "ceremonial first pour" from volunteers at the beer tent nearest the stage and sat down with his wife to wait for 4 p.m., when they would get to hear Kashmir.
"We've been waiting to see them for over a year," Debbie said, which is exactly why they came to Ribfest.
Headlining performers for the rest of the holiday weekend include Sheryl Crow on Saturday, Lee Brice on Sunday and Gin Blossoms on Monday.
Sponsored by the Exchange Club of Naperville, Ribfest runs from noon to 10 p.m. each day through July 4 at the park, 724 West St., near downtown. For details, visit ribfest.net.